New coordinator Jay Hill was always going to need time to re-wire BYU’s defense into a functional Big 12 unit.
And three weeks before the season opener, a Cougars’ defense featuring lots of new faces and a new scheme is indeed a work in progress.
“We have a lot to get better at still,” Hill said after BYU’s first fall scrimmage on Saturday. “We have a lot to work on. But we also have a lot that we are doing well.”
In the first extended period of live action Hill has seen from his defense — 105 snaps on the day — his concerns are part mechanical and part depth chart.
There are the obvious substitution problems and penalties that come with the territory. Hill said simple errors cost his unit several times, particularly early during Saturday’s scrimmage.
“The ability to start fast is a critical part of college football,” he said. “You don’t have three or four drives to get settled in. And, quite frankly, today we needed to start faster. So all those things are great learning lessons for us. Our guys will continue to get better at it. Coaches will get better at it. But we have a lot to clean up.”
But the more pressing issue at this point is the depth. Hill feels good about his starters. Yet, he wants to have more trust in the second and third groups.
“I like our personnel. We are getting people to step up, especially our ones right now. I feel very confident in what those guys can do,” Hill said. “But we have a long ways to go.”
Right now, it isn’t that BYU doesn’t know who will be on the depth chart. Outside of maybe safety and cornerback, the first, second and third teams are mostly set. Substitution groups are still being worked out. But the core group is there.
Instead, Hill wants more playmakers to emerge in those groups.
Take the safety position for example.
“We probably have six or seven guys that we can win with,” Hill said. “I want to see some more separation over these next 15 practices of somebody stepping up that can be a big-time, Big 12 all-conference defender. That is what we have to continue to see.”
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake indicated Hill will have the next week to nail down the depth chart entirely. After that, the attention will turn to Week 1 opponent Sam Houston.
“I don’t know if there is a lot of change up in the ones, twos and threes,” Sitake said. “But there are still some battles to be made.”
The third and fourth corner spots are up for grabs, he said. The fifth and sixth safety spots also haven’t been solidified.
Hill did praise Tyler Batty and Atunaisa Mahe as players he can rely out on the defensive line. Boise State transfer Jackson Cravens also made the cut.
But for now, Hill is still in search of more.
And that will take more time.
